THURSDAY, JAN. 23, 2014
VOLUME 117 ISSUE 29
Spectrum The
NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY | FOR THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE
P esky P est P roblems
MATAYA ARMSTRONG | THE SPECTRUM
NDSU Residence Life Tries to Contain University Apartment Issues As university looks to future, plans could involve new construction Colton Pool | Co-News Editor
In the late 1960s, NDSU looked to construct apartments for married students, which made up one-sixth of the student population. University Village was put together with a $3 million budget to give those students an efficient means of housing. Today, the university housing could be considered outdated and in need of an overhaul. NDSU Residence Life has dealt with some of the setbacks of University Village for a few years now — one of those being rodent issues. From summer to fall of 2013, Residence Life saw an increased number of rodent and heating problems. However, those issues aren’t anything new to University Village apartments. “It really isn’t any different than any other particular year,” said NDSU director of Residence Life Rian Nostrum. “That has really been the same. We’re fortunate as a
University Village has more problems with rodent and heating problems than other campus apartments such as Niskanen Expansion or Bison Court due to its design.
department that we have a maintenance staff, so we’re able to respond a lot faster.” Nostrum said University Village is the most likely among university apartments to contract different kinds of pests because of its design. Even in two-bedroom apartments, rodents can find themselves inside a warm and food-filled shelter right at the front door. This is opposed to apartments such as Niskanen Expansion or Bison Court where rodents would have to travel through build-
‘BOOM BOX GUY’ BRIGHTENS DAYS
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MATAYA ARMSTRONG | THE SPECTRUM
ing entries, hallways and into individual apartments to find means of living. “If you think of all the natural pests that occur in Niskanen Expansion, we have less pest issues there,” Nostrum said. “It’s not because we have better students that are cleaner. It’s because there the pests can come in the main door, but it’s got to go a long way without any food source to actually become noticeable in your apartment.”
LIVE AT LUNCH: Brian Bradley
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HOUSING | PAGE 3
Basketball defeats two at home
2 THURSDAY, JAN. 23, 2014
News
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Freshmen Jenna Berg and Megan Matejcek prepare to sign their lease for a unit in the second phase of the T Loft Apartments. Students began lining up outside Tuesday’s lease-signing event by 6 a.m. to secure a brand-new apartment.
LISA MARCHAND | THE SPECTRUM
T Lofts 2 Lease-Signing Event Draws Early Crowd Second phase to open August 2014 Lisa Marchand
Head News Editor
Students lined up in below zero weather this week for a chance to sign leases for the brand new T Loft 2 Apartments near campus, which are slated to open August 2014. The first phase of the T Loft Apartments includes 102 units and has been at full capacity since it opened its doors in August 2011. Now, 79 additional units will be added on in what is referred to as “phase two.” Roers is the local firm responsible for T Loft Apartments’ development, construction and property management. When leases became available for the original apartment building in 2011, Roers marketing director Brianne Hoffman said the response was unbelievable. Neither T Loft phase has had a wait-
ing list. Instead, Hoffman said Roers has encouraged everyone to attend their firstcome, first-serve events. They instructed interested renters to come early and come prepared. In 2011, prospective tenants began filling Roers’s lobby at 8 a.m., four hours before the event was scheduled to begin. This year, however, students began lining up outside of Roers by 6 a.m. The company opened its doors early due to frigid temperatures. One group of roommates camped out in their car beginning at 2:30 a.m. in order to secure one of the building’s few four-bedroom apartments. Others woke up before the crack of dawn and were able to sign a lease for their desired apartment. Freshmen Eric Miller and Rory Davidowski arrived at 7 a.m. after grabbing McDonald’s breakfast and heading to Roers. By noon they were preparing to sign the lease to their brand new three-bedroom apartment. Roers signed 29 leases at Tuesday’s event. Individual renters and groups of
roommates received numbers and were called one by one to begin the process. Freshman Brianna Wolf and her two roommates arrived by 7 a.m., got their number and returned to Roers later in the day. According to Wolf and roommate Kayla Lindeman, the wait was worth it. “They’re right by campus and they’re new. It’s nice to be the first one living in it,” Wolf said. Hoffman said she was pleased with how the second lease-signing event turned out. “It’s just been such a tremendous response from phase one all the way into phase two,” Hoffman said. “We knew going into phase two we would see just as much of an interest because word of mouth has spread.” The two phases will be connected and are essentially the same with a few minor differences. After surveying tenants over the last few years, Roers decided not to include balconies in the new units. Hoffman explained tenants expressed a greater desire for more interior space instead.
The addition will also include underground parking, but only 35 spaces will be available. Finally, T2 will include an additional fitness room and a study room on two different floors since 90 percent of the residents are NDSU students. “We’ve listened to what the tenants have said and tried to incorporate as much as we can into the new phase,” Hoffman said. “An upside of not doing the whole project at once is being able to make those changes and modifications for phase two that may help retain our tenants.” The second was not an afterthought, however. Roers intended to create T Lofts in two separate stages from the very beginning. They waited to demolish their Westbrook Apartments that existed directly east of the T Loft property. Hoffman said their goal is to make the two phases into one unified building so they look as if they were constructed all at once.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebrated With Two Events Josh Francis
Contributing Writer
NDSU celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day with a volunteer Service Plunge and a celebration of King’s life this week. More than 40 people piled into the Hidatsa Room in the Memorial Union on Tuesday and listened to: a readings from NDSU alumna and hall director Amber Buck, senior Damilola Kosi, junior Kendall Ray, sophomore Barry Jennings, academic assistant Angela Skaff, along with a musical performance from NDSU senior Denham McDermott. Buck said she participated in the celebration because there aren’t many events focused on celebrations of minorities so she wants to show her support when there are. NDSU is one of the least diverse national universities in the country, according to the US News and World Report diversity index. Despite that designation, Ruth Grimmett, a program coordinator in the office of Multicultural Programs said the event is important because King had a big impact on American history. She said she was pleased with the diverse turnout. Buck said she wanted those who attended the celebration to get a better understanding of who King was and what he did for minorities, the underserved and the civil rights movement.
“I hope they will take away a more holistic understanding of Martin Luther King Jr. and not just the ‘I Have a Dream Speech,” she said. On Monday, more than 400 students showed up to the annual Service Plunge, which gave students an opportunity to volunteer their time to assist more than 30 organizations in the Fargo-Moorhead community. “The Service Plunge goes right along with our mission to connect the students of NDSU with the community of Fargo-Moorhead,” said Volunteer Network student coordinator Stephen Appel. Students gathered at the Memorial Union before they ventured off to volunteer for the Ronald McDonald House, The Salvation Army, retirement homes, the North Dakota Autism Center and many other non-profits. Matthew Skoy, the associate director of Student Activities said this was the largest volunteer group he had seen. The event was set up to give students the opportunity to help their community on a day they have off from school. “We hope that they will build relationships and learn about the value of selfless use of time and be encouraged by the work that is being done in this community,” Appel said. Several members of the Kappa Psi fraternity volunteered at the Bethany Homes retirement facility in Fargo.
A singer/composer, Denham Mcdermott, performed music in celebration of Martin Luther King Day.
“We helped them get ready for flu season and interacted with a few of the residents,” said senior Kyrsten Karsky. Another fraternity visited three Dakota Boys Ranch locations and helped tag clothes
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and put them out in the thrift store. “I do it because I have the free time and I’m in a position to give back,” said senior Alex Fausti.
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THE SPECTRUM | NEWS | THURS, JAN. 23, 2014
HOUSING from page 1 Pests Vary A type of critter that has been on the rise at University Village has been bed bugs. Though bed bugs can’t infect anyone with any sort of disease, it is a problem that apartment residents have run into. Bed bugs are simply annoying bitters, which isn’t ideal for a resident paying hundreds for rent every month. “Bed bugs are hard to kill and easy to spread,” said Jingyang Xiao, who is a University Village complex manager and student senator. “It has been an issue for years, and it becomes prevalent when people bring second-hand beds with bed bugs into their apartment. We educate our tenants on stopping this, and treat affected apartments as soon as we can.” Cockroaches are also an
even longer to find out if the problem is actually fixed. “There is no one way that you can guarantee to just get rid of them without using too harsh of chemicals like poisons and stuff like that,” Nostrum said. “What you do nowadays that’s most successful is some chemicals that have to cycle through. Once you’ve treated with those chemicals, you really have to wait four to six weeks for that to cycle through.” Another problem University Village runs into is heating different apartments. Nostrum said University Village has tenets who come from a wide number of backgrounds who aren’t used to similar temperatures. “Because we serve such a diverse population of students, we will have some
Design flaws Nostrum explained a problem with pest control in University Village is the design of the apartments. Employees of control companies can’t enter some apartment buildings with chemicals without going through individual apartments directly. Even using chemical treatment can be painstaking. It takes a few hours before residents can go back to their living spaces and 254 Memorial Union North Dakota State University Fargo, ND 58105
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issue in University Village, but Xiao said the problem has lessened since Residence Life decided to pursue it. “Bedbugs and cockroaches are the main pests we see in (University Village) apartments,” Xiao said. “Cockroaches usually come with bad cleaning conditions and food residues.”
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
of our international students who haven’t ever been in this type of a climate,” Nostrum said. “We’ll have students who go into our department and they’re complaining that it’s cold, and their apartment is registering at 80 degrees.” So with these designs, is NDSU doing all they can to control the problem? “Absolutely,” Nostrum said. “We are constantly in communication with, say, somebody who works with graduate students so that we can get advice for things that we can add on.” Moving forward Michelle Sauvageau, student body senator of university apartments, said looking at University Village is a matter she will be focused on as student senate gets back into session this semester. “From my standpoint, comparing (University Village) to Niskanen just right next door, you can definitely tell the differences of when they were constructed and the upkeep,” Sauvageau said. “That’s something that should be discussed and a project I could definitely take on this semester with senate.” To further remedy the situation, Residence Life is looking at reconstructing University Village altogether.
Nostrum said the creation of Niskanen Expansion was the first phase of a multi-step plan for replacement of certain NDSU apartment buildings. “The future phases … would be to take down certain structures so that you end up with enough land mass to put up enough traditional apartment building,” Nostrum said. “We could do all kinds of things, not this idea that each of your entries is coming from the outside. If we were to plan to rebuild UV, which we plan to in the future, then I would advocate for not doing the townhouse style.” The main reason Nostrum doesn’t like the current University Village layout — one that could set off many possible residents — is the two-floor townhouse designs, which is not livable by handicapped residents. Another thing Residence Life would set out to change is the arrangement of the university parking lots. Currently, University Village utilizes several small parking lots as opposed to Niskanen Expansion’s spacedout parking. University Village’s parking, Nostrum said, is inefficient not only for residents; employees have much more to deal with when plowing snow out of the lots, including clearing out
some spaces. Despite the plans for change, Residence Life would need to consider a budget before they take any step forward. Nostrum said Niskanen Expansion took a $20 million loan to build. While the budget for University Village is still unclear, the best-case scenario would be to break even once the completed building is opened, Nostrum said. When this phase is scheduled to begin, the process would include taking down the apartment buildings bit by bit, so a large number of NDSU student aren’t without housing for any amount of time. However, this wouldn’t happen for another five years. Until then, University Village residents will have to deal with potential problems a townhouse-style of apartment building can be prone to. “That’s something that we’re working on right now is try and narrow in (on) when we would pull the trigger for the next (phase),” Nostrum said. “As a department, we are an auxiliary so we don’t receive state appropriations for anything when we do a project. So if we are building something, we have to be able to pay for it ourselves through the rents collected.”
How’s the Weather Up Here?
The First Amendment guarantees of free speech and free press. Opinions expressed on these pages are not necessarily those of the student body, faculty, staff, university administration or Spectrum managment. The Spectrum is printed at Page 1 Printers, 1929 Engebretson Ave., Slayton, MN 56172.
My one reason?
To pay for books and tuition.
NDSU climatology professor Adnan Akyuz explained that North Dakota has the coldest mean temperature in the entire country.
Meteorologist enlightens at climatology seminar
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It is the topic that is always relevant to one’s conversation: weather. Adnan Akyuz, an NDSU climatologist and assistant professor of soil sciences, hosted an hour-long seminar on North Dakota weather and climate last Friday in the Main Library’s Weber Reading Room. NDSU Libraries put the event on as part of “NDSU Libraries Speakers’ Series.” Akyuz’s slideshow covered many facets of weather discussion, including setting the record straight between the not-so interchangeable “weather” and “climate.” Weather happens on a daily basis, while climate is the creation of how an atmo-
MATAYA ARMSTRONG | THE SPECTRUM
sphere acts over many years. The climatologist talked extensively on how North Dakotans are lucky, not cursed, to have the unique climate they have. Akyuz used tropical Hawaii as a foil to contrast the many examples that make North Dakota special. Phenomena special to the area include diamond dust, the tiny ice crystals that form when it is bitterly cold, aurora borealis – more commonly known as the northern lights – and instant clouds, the oft-recreated science experiment where a cup of boiling water is thrown in the frigid air, and the water particles create a cloud of tiny ice crystals. While the fact that next week’s warmest high will be below freezing, Akyuz said over the last century, North Dakota’s average temperature has risen 2.7 degrees. “(It’s) the steepest trend in the U.S.,” Akyuz said. With these warmer temperatures means a longer growing season, a period that is determined by con-
secutive days with temperatures above freezing. This translates to new opportunities for area farmers. With the warming trend and the advent of new technologies, farmers in the northern part of the state can now grow quality corn, an unfathomable idea a century ago. Akyuz wrapped up his presentation by talking briefly about the potential North Dakota has when it comes to renewable resources; the state has some of the highest wind and biomass potential in the United States. Statistics and phenomena aside, Akyuz relished talking to his audience about the extreme North Dakotan climate and weather. “If you don’t like the weather, wait a few hours!” Akyuz said jokingly. “North Dakota should patent that saying.” That and be wary of the weather around oneself. “Never sleep,” Akyuz said, regarding North Dakotan weather, “you don’t know what you might miss.”
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Features
THURSDAY, JAN. 23, 2014
NDSUSPECTRUM.COM
The Spectrum
MATAYA ARMSTRONG | THE SPECTRUM
John Olhoft makes his own boom boxes from suitcases and loves to share his passion by blasting his speakers and walking around campus.
The Boom-Box Guy Connor Dunn Features Editor
Virtually every NDSU student has encountered John Olhoft at least once around campus since the first day of class, and there is a predominant reason why: John Olhoft is the Boom-Box Guy. Olhoft, a freshman majoring in agriculture and biosystems engineering, is the guy walking around NDSU in beautiful 80 degree days and blustery subzero temperatures blasting music from his now-famous boom boxes. “I like making people smile and having them be comfortable to do so,” Olhoft said. “It’ll be 20 below, and I’m not just out there playing music for the heck of it. I’m hoping to make people’s days a little bit brighter.” Olhoft’s passion for music started well before his days at NDSU. At the end of his high school days in Barrett, Minn., he bought a company that only had speakers and a mixing board and transformed it into his very own DJ business. Starting off simple, Olhoft bought an amp with a subwoofer and brought it to sporting events at his high school to pump music for people. The feedback was so overwhelmingly positive that Olhoft wanted to make his own portable amps. “I talked to a band teacher and got an alto clarinet case. Then, I took some speakers out of a truck, along with some other items,
and made my first boom box,” described Olhoft. According to Olhoft, essentially all that is needed is an amplifier and a battery. Lithium ion batteries are his power source of choice, as they provide 20 to 30 hours of use on a single charge, but they tend to be expensive. “Getting all the parts is the hardest, but once I have everything, it takes about 2-4 hours to make a boom box,” says Olhoft. “I’ve been building them out of the dorms this past semester, but I’m in the Farmhouse now, so I’ve got a little bit more elbow-room.” What makes Olhoft’s boom boxes special is that they are all custom-made from unique items. Some samples of the boom boxes he has made include three 50-caliber ammo boxes, a maroon and a blue suitcase, a Canon camera case that weighs only half a pound and the renowned green-and-yellowpained Bison Box. “Boom boxes are a way to make a lot of sound fairly cheap in comparison to most professional DJs,” said Olhoft. “I custom make these boom boxes, and I am known to do a custom build if people are interested. It’s a hobby for me that’s really enjoyable and fun.” Presently, Olhoft has made about 16 boom boxes, seven or eight of which are floating around NDSU’s campus. He only has one other guy carrying around a boom box that pumps country solid, but he would
MATAYA ARMSTRONG | THE SPECTRUM
like to see that number grow. “Anybody else who wants to blast a boom box walking around campus, I say go for it,” said Olhoft. “I like having music around campus, and I know others do too.” Using his DJ experience from weddings, school dances and events like the Gold Star Marching Band’s Rose Dance, Olhoft tries to read his student audience in order to pick the right kind of music, but he’s always open to song requests on the fly. He did themed music around Halloween and the same for Christmas. “It’s been really fun to do something like that,” said Olhoft. “Around Valentine’s Day,
I’m thinking of throwing in some Marvin Gaye. Spice it up a bit.” At the start of the school year, many students had a puzzled look, wondering what was this guy doing walking around with a boom box, but since then, things have definitely changed. “Now, I get a lot of high-fives and knuckles, and tons of people have broken out in random dancing when I pass by,” said Olhoft. “I’ll keep walking around, I’ll keep playing music because that’s what really makes it worth it.”
Lifestyle Choices or Genetics?
Getting the facts about diabetes Mercedes Pitzer
Contributing Writer
According to the American Diabetes Association, 25.8 million people in the United States are living with diabetes. That’s 8.3 percent of the entire population. As defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “diabetes is a disease in which blood glucose levels are above normal.” Glucose, otherwise known as blood sugar, is vital to a person’s health because it is an important source of energy for the cells that make up muscles and other tissues. Not to mention, it is the brain’s main source of fuel. When we consume food, it is turned into glucose for our bodies to use as energy. The pancreas then produces a hormone called insulin to help the glucose absorb into the cells of our bodies. When a person has diabetes, their body is either not producing enough insulin or it cannot use its own insulin as well as it should. As a result, sugar begins to
build up in their blood. When the sugar buildup becomes too much, it can cause health conditions such as heart disease, blindness, kidney failure, and in more severe cases, lower-limb amputations. There are three main types of diabetes – Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes. According to the World Health Organization, Type 1 diabetes (otherwise known as insulin-dependent or childhood-onset diabetes) is when there is a deficiency of insulin production and requires daily doses of insulin. Type 2 diabetes (otherwise known as non-insulin-dependent or adult-onset diabetes) occurs when the body cannot use insulin properly. Gestational diabetes on the other hand, is reversible and occurs during pregnancy. Symptoms of Type 1 diabetes include thirst, constant hunger, weight loss, vision changes and fatigue. These symptoms can occur suddenly, so it is important to keep an eye out for said indicators. Symptoms of Type 2 diabetes are often less noticeable, and as a result, the disease may be diagnosed several years after inception, once health concerns have already surfaced. With gestational diabetes, the symptoms are very simi-
lar to those of Type 2 diabetes; however, if they are left untreated, it can cause problems for mothers and their babies. Although it is still unclear why people develop Type 1 diabetes, researchers believe genetic factors most likely play a role. This means that if a person has a parent or sibling who has Type 1 diabetes, their risk of developing the disease increases. Other environmental factors include exposure to a viral illness, dietary factors and damaging immune system cells that produce autoantibodies. Risk factors of Type 2 diabetes include: being overweight, inactivity and high blood pressure. This helps explain why Type 2 diabetes is the most common. According to the CDC, about five percent of all diagnosed cases are Type 1 diabetes, while 90-95 percent of all diagnosed cases are Type 2 diabetes. As for gestational diabetes, it may not be very common, but it still accounts for 2-10 percent of all pregnancies. According to the Mayo Clinic website, blood sugar monitoring, insulin and oral medications are forms of treatment and are used depending on what type of diabetes a person has. However, no matter what type of diabetes a person has, eating healthy and main-
taining a healthy weight by being physically active is necessary to manage the disease. When it comes to monitoring a person’s blood sugar, he or she may have to check it three times a day to several times a week. They may also do insulin therapy, depending on the circumstances. Insulin therapy consists of injecting insulin into the body through the use of a syringe or an insulin pen. Using an insulin pump may also be an option. This device pumps insulin into the body through a tube that is connected to a catheter located under the skin of the abdomen. Varying amounts of insulin will automatically be injected depending on meals and activity level. While there is currently no cure for diabetes, several methods to eliminate the disease are currently being investigated. As acknowledged by the CDC, such approaches include pancreas transplantation, artificial pancreas development and genetic manipulation. Getting tested for diabetes is fairly inexpensive and can be done through a simple blood test at your local doctor’s office. If you have any suspicion that you may have diabetes, it is strongly encouraged to get yourself tested.
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THE SPECTRUM | FEATURES | THURS, JAN. 23, 2014
Fargo’s Bleak Weather Shaurya Chawla
Contributing Writer
Gusty wind chills and harsh weather have gripped the United States, especially the Midwest, signaling the coldest temperatures in the past 20 years. Nowadays, almost all the weather channels, international or regional, are broadcasting the news reports on freezing temperatures of US, and especially the breaking records of the coldest temperature on January 6,2014. Thus, forcing the schools and businesses to close and cancellations of numerous flights. The fast, blowing winds prevailing over mid-west region, reaching to -40 F have become a cause of concern for everyone as to how can someone survive in such stormy weather? Why do people even live in aforementioned places? And how do they carry out the routine
actions? These questions have occupied the minds of millions. But the answer still remains an interrogating problem. Although these tormented weather conditions are apprehensive for many, it seems to be considerably normal for the people of Fargo. Fargo is known as the city that features extreme weather circumstances ranging from hot and humid temperatures to windy, cold and icy winters, reaching -48 degrees Fahrenheit. This small city experiences cold weather for the majority of the year, approximately 8 months. So, the people have adapted themselves to survive in this climate. Reaching the offices, schools and workplaces in the heavy snow showers and blizzards has become commonplace for them. It is very usual for the people of Fargo to endure the winter season.
Even during the blizzards, when travel is not advised and the accidents of the cars sliding into ditches have a plausible chance, the people keep proceeding to their destinations irrespective of the unpleasant weather forecast. No matter how ruthless the climate, the crowd continues to work and carry out daily activities. Moreover, the youth of Fargo and NDSU students enjoy this weather to the utmost levels. A part of the North Fargo region has several international students coming a long way to pursue higher studies. For some who are not familiar with this climate, people really enjoy snugging in bed, taking hot drinks, working in their own way and trying to stay protected from the treacherous wind and cold. People who have become savvy to the similar climate or may be the residents of
The harsh weather in Fargo may be bitter, especially trying to walk on the sidewalks, but there are still ways to stay entertained.
the region enjoy partying, relaxing in hot tubs, having drinks and food, making snowmen and relishing the fresh cold air. As the weekends approach, people rush to hubs, and nightclubs to celebrate all night, enjoy the moments, forget the hardships and relieve the stress accumulated through the
MATAYA ARMSTRONG | THE SPECTRUM
whole week. The inhabitants of this region feel such weather conditions as the same every year, so differences in weather-related closings, such as university or school days off, have reduced to a small number. And only when there is surely a possible occurrence of blizzard,
people take off from work or the authority grants a day off. Thus, when the whole world is worried about the bleak winds and severe climatic conditions, the residents of Fargo enjoy winter to its fullest.
l i f e | photospotlight It’s hard to imagine with our invincible minds that someday we won’t be able to run or play like we do now. It’s hard imagining that we won’t be able to remember certain things as good as we do, or even drive. I think the life cycle of a human being is quite interesting. Every person is born on the planet unable to walk, talk or even go to the bathroom. As we get older, we progress to get smarter and do the things as an adult. However, once we reach 40 year of age, our bodies start to dwindle again like a child. Soon enough, you will be small again and unable to walk, talk and go to the bathroom. Take a look at yourself today and remind yourself all the wonderful things you are capable of doing. Appreciate the beauty of life and everything you can do. Life already feels like it’s going fast, and I guarantee it’s going to go faster the older we get. Capturing a moment like this can evoke a feeling of beauty and appreciating about how much life we have to live.
MATAYA ARMSTRONG | THE SPECTRUM
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6 THURSDAY, JAN. 23, 2014
Arts & Entertainment
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Brian Bradley, a talented neo-classical, composer, pianist and vocalist, performed for NDSU’s “Live @ Lunch” on Jan. 25.
MATAYA ARMSTRONG | THE SPECTRUM
Pueblo Flutist, String Quartet Bring Tour to Moorhead Jack Dura
Staff Writer
In showcasing culturally diverse and interesting performances, Minnesota State University Moorhead’s Cheryl Nelson Lossett Arts Series has hosted some very singular events so far. Now coming up on the third of this season’s four shows, this arts series will present perhaps its most diverse performance yet: a flutist and string quartet crisscrossing genres and cultures with music. “If you’re going to have a group do something, take a different approach to something, they better be really good at it or it can really be stupid or hokey,” Rebecca Sundet-Schoenwald, managing director of the arts series, said of the series’ performances. “They’ve got to be fabulous artists.” ETHEL (the New York-born string quartet) and Robert Mirabal (world-famous
Pueblo flutist/flute-maker) bring their collaborative concert “Music of the Sun” to MSUM’s Gaede Stage on January 25. Presenting music inspired by sun mythology from around the world, this collaboration could not be better chosen as both artists already have heavy histories in other collaborative efforts. Robert Mirabal hails from the American Southwest, where he lives a traditional rancher’s life with his family, continuing the ways of his people. His flute-making is world-renowned, and many of his flutes have been displayed in the Smithsonian’s Museum of the American Indian. “He’s a rancher, farmer – so he’s got that really traditional life but then he’s also traveling all over the world performing, so he’s got the best of both worlds,” Sundet-Schoenwald said. Mirabal’s recordings have grabbed two Grammys and his history of collaborations include percussionist Reynaldo Lujan, Native singer/songwriter Bill Miller and – for
the past few years –ETHEL. This string quartet is composed of violas, violin and cello, and for over 15 years have been performing, though a few members have come and gone over the years. Their collaborations have included the likes of guitar virtuoso Kaki King, multi-instrumentalist Andrew Bird, avant-garde violinist Iva Bottivá and many more. ETHEL’s accolades are numerous, including a nine-year Ensemble-in-Residence status at the Grand Canyon Music Festival’s Native American Composers Apprenticeship Project. Their work with emergent indigenous musicians resulted in the release of an album entirely comprised of Native student works, the first commercially available recording of its kind. The group’s CDs have received heavy praise over the year’s even garnering Best Recording of 2003 by Billboard Magazine with their debut album. Since 2011, ETHEL and Mirabal have toured “Music of the Sun,” a concert inspired by ancient sun mythology. However,
this is not the first time the two artists have teamed up. In 2008, Mirabal joined ETHEL onstage at the Brooklyn Academy of Music for the group’s “TruckStop” concert piece, showcasing indigenous artists. Their current tour has taken them all over, with stops planned in Florida, Montana and Minnesota. For the Lossett Arts Series, this collaboration defines what the program is all about, as showcasing cultural diversity is its core. What is more is that audience members can expect the best, as these artists must be A1 for this arts series. “It’s really, really critical for the series though that they are at the very top of their game in terms of artistic ability,” SundetSchoenwald stated. “Music of the Sun” is presented at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 25 at MSUM’s Gaede Stage. Tickets are $28 for adults, $24 for seniors/ MSUM alumni and $12 for non-MSUM students, and are available by phone at 218477-2271 or mnstate.edu/perform.
Disney Infinity Shifts 3 Million Starter Packs Steven Strom A&E Editor
Activision’s “Skylanders” franchise has become one of the hottest children’s entertainment products of the past few years. Of course, it wasn’t long before the battle for kids’ hearts, minds and parents’ money brought out an imitator – in this case, Disney Interactive’s “Disney Infinity.” It seems mimicry is the sincerest form of profitability, as “Disney Infinity” managed to move three million starter packs (which include a game and three plastic figures) in 2013, outselling this year’s Skylanders game, “Skylanders: Swap Force,” according to The New York Times. Both games are based on a simple concept – one that was pioneered in 1987’s Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future, if you want to get technical. “Skylanders” is a video game that can only be played by placing specially designed toys on a “portal” connected to your game console. Whichever toy is in place becomes the character the
player controls onscreen. In “Skylanders,” the characters are all original designs (with the exception of Spyro, a purple dragon that had his own gaming franchise on the original PlayStation, and was used to backdoor the first Skylanders game into public consciousness). In “Disney Infinity,” the characters (and thus the figures) are based on Disney franchises, including characters from Pirates of the Caribbean, Monsters, Inc. and The Incredibles. We can surmise that “Infinity” outsold “Swap Force” as the former was one of the top 10 bestselling games of the year, while the latter was not. However, that doesn’t take into account that “Skylanders” currently has three iterations on the market, and three generations worth of figures to account for. Across all merchandise, it’s possible that “Skylanders” still beat out its fledgling competitor. We know for a fact that Activision’s franchise pulled in over $1.5 billion earlier last year, so it’s clearly still doing well. Regarding what this means for Disney Interactive, you can probably expect another iteration of “Infinity” later this year. There
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are already plans to expand on the line of figures to include characters form Wreck-It Ralph, Frozen and Tangled. That’s probably because the “Infinity” brand alone helped double the company’s (that is to say Disney Interactive, not Disney itself) fourth quarter earnings. Personally, I enjoy the idea of original
character designs more than a gaggle of unrelated, established IPs loosely bound together by a boxy art style. The children of America seem to disagree with me, for now. We’ll likely find out at the next end-of-year sales announcement if that’s due to the cult of the new, or if “Infinity” will keep going forever.
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THE SPECTRUM | A&E | THURS, JAN. 23, 2014
Katy Perry’s ‘Prismatic World Tour’ Flashes Over Fargo Perry to hit Fargodome this August Steven Strom A&E Editor
Fargo will be one of 46 cities visited by Katy Perry during her latest tour later this year. The “PRISMATIC WORLD TOUR,” which starts on June 22 in Raleigh, North Carolina, will be held in support of the artist’s latest album, “PRISM.” The album in question debuted at number one on The Billboard 200, and has managed to hold position in the top 10 for three months since its release. The album features several incredibly popular tracks, including “Roar”
(the artist’s biggest-ever single) and “Dark Horse,” her thirteenth single to hit the top ten on The Billboard Hot 100. Fargo citizens can hear these songs and more live on Aug. 23 at the Fargodome. “’THE PRISMATIC WORLD TOUR’ is coming to light up some of my favorite North American cities this summer, as well as some new cities that you introduced me to through your video requests” Perry said in a press release regarding the tour. “This colorful show will bring you all the songs you know as well as ones from my new album, ‘PRISM’. I’m so excited that I got to hand-select some of my favorite artists to join me on this journey – I know you’ll love Capital Cities, Kacey Musgraves
and Tegan and Sara as much as I do.” Each tour appearance will be displayed on a custom stage designed specifically for the tour. The set is designed to allow the singer “to get closer to her fans than ever before,” the press release explains. This is likely a reference to the “intimate” Reflection Section, where a limited number of concert-goers will be able to view the performance. Because the show is being sponsored in part by Citi Bank, Citi Private Pass Program members have been able to pre-purchase tickets since last Tuesday. However, as of today erstwhile fans can also purchase a limited number of tickets on Facebook. To get details and a password for the Facebook pre-sale program, go to
PHOTO COURTESY OF | BILLBOARD.COM
http://bit.ly/kp_presale. Those unable to attend the Aug. 23 performance might be interested in another nearby sighting. On Aug. 22, there will also be a tour stop in Minneapolis, Minnesota at the Target Center for impatient Midwesterners. Ticket prices for each performance range from $29.50, $47.50, $82 to $102
Creative Dystopian Fantasy Falls Flat in Debut Novel ‘The Bone Season’ Linda Norland
Contributing Writer
Out this past August, 22-year-old British author Samantha Shannon’s debut novel “The Bone Season” rides the wave of ever-popular dystopian novels in modern literature. The first in a projected seven part series, this new book explores a futuristic dystopian England beset by a sort of paranormal plague. Echoing other popular novels, “The Bone Season” brings a promising world into view, yet in the end succumbs to common pitfalls of the genre. Set in the year 2059, in London, England, the story follows 19-year-old Paige Mahoney, a rare type of clairvoyant called a Dreamwalker. This ability allows her to affect the “æther”— the world of spirits—meaning she can slip into other people’s minds and control them. Because of this, she
is constantly hunted by the officials of the totalitarian government Scion, whose laws she breaks daily simply by being alive and also because she works for the London crime syndicate as a part of the notorious ring known as The Seven Dials. Headed by her eccentric, brilliant, and terrifying mime lord Jaxon Hall, she uses her powers to participate in “mime-crime,” or using the spirit world for monetary gain. But wait—just when readers think it could not get any more complex, Paige is abducted by Scion and given to the mysterious Rephaim, chilling beings from beyond the Netherworld who have secretly been in control since the early days of Scion. Trapped in a new and terrible prison, her relationship to her master, the betrothed to the murderous blood-sovereign, becomes increasingly complicated.
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Eventually Paige is faced with a choice: stay in captivity there, or escape to London, where she was also oppressed. While the novel has received a fair amount critical praise—with some dubbing Shannon the “new J.K. Rowling”—as the author herself admits, it is not the height of literature. Heavy in fantasy jargon and obscure London slang, with several complicated settings, this book hardly reads smoothly and is difficult to follow. Paige, the main character, can be frustrating as she erratically lashes out at the world over and over, like an angry child. The idea of sorting people into groups (in this case over 100 types of clairvoyants) has also been compared to other popular books in the genre, including “The Hunger Games” and “Divergent” series. In the end, everything just seems like a massively complicated cover for an over-used genre, a promising world dampened by flat characters and clichés. With six more books ahead of her, Shannon can expect to spend the rest of her twenties continuing the series. However, there is hope: she has already sold the film rights to producer Andy Serkis, and this first installment reached number seven on the New York Times’ bestseller list—despite its flaws, with a little improvement, this could go far. One only hopes that during this time she and her characters can mature enough to transform the series into something truly original.
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Plains Art Museum Holds Regional Ceramics Exhibit Steven Strom A&E Editor
The Plains Art Museum, Fargo’s own gallery of the arts, is teaming up with the Northern Clay Center of Minneapolis to bring you Red River Reciprocity: Contemporary Ceramics in Minnesota and North Dakota. Red River Reciprocity is a ceramics exhibit opening at 2 p.m. on Feb. 8. It is set to feature the work of 79 artists from the Minnesota/ North Dakota region. According to the press release provided by the museum, these pieces will “display the exceptional versatility of ceramics as an exciting and expressive art form.” With such vagueness, you can probably expect a wide range of subject matter, style and presentation. From 2 to 4 p.m. -- when the exhibit opens -- there will be a free and public opening reception. Hors d’oeuvres and refreshments
will be served during this time. To coincide with the launch of this latest display, the Plains Art Museum will host a series of informational tours, talks and walks on that very subject. The first is the Ceramics 101 Presentation and Gallery Tour, to be held at 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 13. Studio Manager James Wolberg and the museum’s Curator, Becky Dunham, will host the presentation. The following presentations will be a series of walk-and-talk events, referred to as the Ceramics Gallery Walk & Studio Talk Series. These will be held on the fourth Thursday of every month, for three months. In this case that lands the series’ episodes on Feb. 27, March 27, and April 24. The “Gallery Walks” are scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on those dates, while the “Studio Talks” are held at 6:30 p.m. The host for the first walk in February is Michael Strand, NDSU’s own associ-
ate professor and head of the Visual Arts department. March’s walk features MSUM’s Professor of Art Education, Brad Bachmeier, and the final event will be presented by Concordia Professor of Art, Ross Hilgerss. The proceeding talks are scheduled to feature Wolberg. With the work of so many artists on display, it’s likely that everyone will find something to their tastes. It’s also less common for the Plains Art Museum to hold exhibits for non-painted items, so this is a rare opportunity to witness a great diversity of a less common art form. The Plains Art Museum, if you weren’t aware, is located at 704 First Ave. North in downtown Fargo. For additional information regarding the event, or other upcoming tours, events, exhibitions or classes, you can visit www.plainsart.org. You can also contact the museum directly by phone at 701-551-6100.
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nounced that Justin Timberlake will also be performing in town in February, while Electric Six (who are obviously less well-known, but more to this writer’s tastes) will be appearing at the Aquarium on March 19. Just a few weeks in, and 2014 is already shaping up to be a great year for music in the Fargo area.
Part Time Positions. The FARGODOME is accepting applications for part-time employment in the following positions: Custodians, Stage Hands, Conversion Workers, Cashiers, Servers, Cooks, and Warehouse Workers. Hours vary according to event schedules. Applicants are encouraged to fill out applications at the FARGODOME, 1800 North University Drive, Fargo, ND. No phone calls please. Equal Opportunity Employer.
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depending on date of purchase and seating. If you’re averse to Facebook, or not a Citi Bank customer, you can also purchase tickets through more traditional methods, including through www.KatyPerry.com. Perry is just one of many high-profile artists coming to the Fargo-Moorhead area this year. Earlier it was an-
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Opinion
THURSDAY, JAN. 23, 2014
NDSUSPECTRUM.COM
The Spectrum
UV Blues The stigma that goes with University Village Caleb Werness Opinion Editor
ity.
It may be common knowledge that college students paying their way through college do not have massive sums of money. Cutting costs here and there is always a prior-
To do that this year, three of my friends and I decided to live in the University Village campus apartments. We did so because anyone who has looked into it knows it is the least-expensive option among University housing. The main reason being is UV is not overly large and is not as nicely finished as the alternatives, Niskanen and Bison Court. Every time I mention that I live in University Village, everyone seems surprised that I live there. It seems there is a stigma that goes with University Village. It my come from the conditions of the apartments. There have been many reports of bugs and other pest problems. Residence Life says it is due to the design of the apartments. The townhouse style makes it more accessible to pests compared to Niskanen or Bison Court. The stigma may come from how University Village has a large amount of international students. There are also several families with small children. The atmosphere is quite different than other campus housing. It does not have the same “college” feel as other campus apartments. The stigma overshadowing University Village is not a positive one. When I tell people that I live in UV I get the same reaction, “really?” paired with a confused expression. Many of the confused expressions are followed up with a “why?” Sometimes it leads into a session of 20 questions. My friends treat it as though I have taken up residence in a foreign country, and they want to know the details of this new abstract world. I didn’t realize it was so bizarre for four Caucasian guys to live in University Village. During the first months of living there I will admit it did feel slightly uncomfortable to be the minority. I had never been apart of that group living in the Midwest. It was an interesting cultural shock. What is most strange about the whole thing is that, truthfully, there is nothing strange about it. The stigma seems to look down upon UV. Sort of, “Why would you want to live there?” My reason, initially, was because it was affordable housing. During my time there I have met a unique group of people; something I never did growing up in suburban Minnesota. University Village has become the melting pot of NDSU for many diverse cultures to interact. It has been nice to meet people who are different from me and have different backgrounds. There should be nothing stigmatic about it; because when is comes down to it, we in University Village are all NDSU students, we are all Bison.
On the Brink of Revolution Ukraine protests escalate, draw 100 thousand demonstrators to Kiev Nathan Stottler Spectrum Staff
Anti-government protests in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev were renewed with fresh vigor last week behind the passing of strict anti-protest laws in Parliament. The anti-government movement denounced last Thursday’s swift vote on the laws as unconstitutional, and is seeking to gain signatures in a display of no confidence in President Viktor Yanukovich. The demonstrations began in mid-November when Yanukovich declined to sign a free-trade agreement with the European Union and opted instead to turn to Russia to foster closer economic ties. Though the protests have quieted in recent weeks, the passing of the new anti-protest laws has sparked a revival in protest activity. Several hundred demonstrators have remained on the scene at Independence Square in central Kiev through the last few months, some even occupying the Kiev City Hall building. The new laws carry heavy imprisonment sentences for participating in events deemed
to be ‘mass disorder.’ The laws go into great detail on what entails an event of ‘mass disorder,’ and include infractions such as using loudspeakers and stages, unauthorized use of tents, wearing facemasks and helmets and disseminating ‘extremist’ opinions of the country’s leaders. The United States and other Western governments have denounced the laws as anti-democratic. In December, American diplomats sent a message that the Ukrainian government ought to heed its peoples’ opinion. They warned that failing to do so would dramatically increase the risk of instability in the country. The passing of the anti-protest laws signals the shifting position of the Ukrainian government from a defensive stance into a more aggressive state of mind. Details emerged earlier this week of text messages sent from the government to the cell phones of those citizens who were actively protesting in Kiev. It is not yet known how the government managed to attain the cell phone tracking information from the protesters, and Ukraine’s three main cell phone companies deny giving any private information to the government. A slightly more unsettling development has been the introduction of another faction into the increasingly violent protests. Though the front between riot police and protesters has been very defined throughout the months-long demonstration, new pro-government ‘thugs’ showed up in the capital on Monday. Young men carrying bats roamed side streets around central Kiev, assaulting protesters and destroying property. Opposition leaders captured a handful of
Nathan is a senior majoring in landscape architecture. Follow him on twitter @ nwstottler.
ASU Fraternity Throws Racist MLK Party Emma Heaton Spectrum Staff
On Monday, NDSU was closed in observation of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. As time has progressed, not only does MLK Day provide an opportunity to observe the struggles African Americans endured throughout U.S. history, but it has also evolved into a Day of Service. A group of Arizona State University students do not seem to have the same outlook however. ASU’s fraternity Tau Kappa Epsilon threw a MLK Day party – not in honor of MLK, but an extremely hateful and racist one. Photos were uploaded to at least two different Instagram accounts including pictures of fraternity members and party attendees wearing baggy clothing, making gang signs and drinking out of cups made from watermelons. Letters resembling an American flag are visible in the background of the photos, spelling out the fraternity’s acronym, TKE. If this isn’t controversial enough, the captions are what really pushed the posts over the edge.
“Happy MLK day homies… #hood” “Ballin with the wildermuth wildboyz (and girl) #blackoutformlk #ihaveadream” Black out for MLK? That’s definitely does not sound like an act of service. All of the Instagram accounts have since been deleted or are unattainable through Instagram’s search feature (thank you, screen capture). The fraternity has since been merely suspended, even though the fraternity was just reinstated after suspension in December. A fight brought on the suspension with a rival fraternity, where TKE members left the rival frat member with a concussion and a broken jaw. As part of the suspension, the ASU fraternity was not allowed to have parties. The school scheduled meetings early this week to determine the fate of TKE. Sharon Keeler, an ASU spokeswoman, told media outlets they would be meeting with the national organization to determine further action. The fraternity, at the very least, should be expelled. A suspension would be merely a slap on the wrist, and this type of action is much more serious than that. No university should want its students to represent the school with acts like this. ASU should also deliver individual disciplinary
action to the students that were directly involved. It is disappointing to see how much ignorance citizens still have. Even more disappointing is that this type of ignorance is happening on college campuses, which are supposed to be educating the young people that will be the future of our country. People that receive higher education should be able to create a brighter future, not a future of hatred. It is appalling that people with even a bit of college education would think something this type of “party” is a good idea. Although we may be making progress on equality, these types of events truly show that we have a long way to go in all aspects of equality and human rights. Racism should not be ignored, much less be poked fun at. As many events do, this gives NDSU student organizations an opportunity to keep impressing and become even better. Student organizations really make a huge impact on the campus, in the community and sometimes, nationwide. Is there a way we can respond to this to show that we will not tolerate this type of behavior on our campus? Emma is a senior majoring in journalism. Follow her on Twitter @emmajheaton2.
‘Her:’ Intelligent Romance or Idiotic Flirtation? Amber Zolondek Contributing Writer
Love is annoying. It is a constantly evolving emotion that people either complain about being single Caleb is a sophomore majoring in Engor couples begin to resent lish. each other for the things left unsaid or undone. But, Spike Jonze seems to have found an alternate love interest for his latest movie, “Her.” I am traditionalist when it comes to dating. Chivalry, flowers, suit and tie, dress and heels, you name it. But we are increasingly picking up speed as we dive into technology, using it for everything. “Her” is a leap into the future, showing viewers a romantic relationship is attainable between an operating system and an average man. What’s frustrating about this movie is its underwhelming story line that becomes more ridiculous every time I see the preview
play. The idea that a loving relationship can be shared between a human and computer scares me in a way that I do not want to associate myself with anyone that truly believes that is possible. Love is an emotion that living, breathing things have. Not phones or computers.
“…imagining a loving relationship with someone like Siri or any other operating system seems ridiculous and quite frankly, stupid.”
In this time, that is not a real thing, nor is it normal. While I understand the movie is fictional and merely just a story to be told, I worry that other viewers will take the concept more seriously. I have heard from many other individuals, including myself, admit an
The Spectrum
The Spectrum
these ‘thugs’ and questioned them, learning that they were bussed into the city and promised a payment of $25 to cause a disturbance. The opposition believes that the government was behind the action, though the ‘thugs’ were unable to give a clear answer on who paid them. The Ukrainian government has taken a step in the wrong direction in recent weeks, if it wishes to quell the rebellion that is boiling up around it. Steps should be taken to work with the opposition leaders, not just to quiet the streets of Kiev, but to begin moving the government in a direction that it’s people desire. Doing anything else is not working towards democracy, but working towards autocracy. It is particularly disquieting to see Ukraine not only take a step away from democracy and closer ties with the European Union, but to direct that step towards Russia, it’s former overlord in the Soviet Union era. The unrest in the country is therefore justifiably understandable, as this could trigger memories of a time when its people were much less empowered. With such a touchy situation at hand, it is not in the best interests of the government to continue down an aggressive path. Doing so can only lead to further civic unrest, eventually culminating in revolution. And with the idea already taking form in the minds of opposition leaders, the idea is not so far-fetched as it may seem in contemporary Western society.
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addiction to their own phone. But imagining a loving relationship with someone like “Siri” or any other operating system seems ridiculous and quite frankly, stupid. It is a struggle enough to be in a relationship with someone else. Investing time, feelings, money, etc., there is a real commitment when it comes to giving your heart to someone. But, expecting a computer to love you the same as another human would is outrageous and a mockery to real-life romance. While it is only a film and one cannot get too upset or offended by such things, it is difficult not to do so when the concept of it seems unrealistic or not even mildly entertaining. With a new plot line such as “Her’s,” the probability of similar ones popping up from time to time is increasingly large, and, hopefully, they can bring enlightenment and fresh stories to the film industry. Amber is a sophomore majoring in public relations and advertising.
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9
Sports
THURSDAY, JAN. 23, 2014
NDSUSPECTRUM.COM
The Spectrum
JOSH FRANCIS | THE SPECTRUM
TrayVonn Wright (32) goes up to block a shot against a Western Illinois player at the Bison Sports Arena during the Bison win on Saturday.
Bison Men Go 2-0 At Home NDSU defeats opponents with contrasting styles Sam Herder Sports Editor
The NDSU men’s basketball team faced two conference opponents of opposite styles last week. Thursday, the Bison hosted Omaha, a team that averaged 83.3 points per game. Two days later, Western Illinois visited the Bison Sports Arena with its slowpaced and methodical offense. NDSU conquered both challenges, defeating Omaha 91-69 and WIU 65-52. Thursday’s game saw the Bison jump out to a 10-2 lead and they never looked back. NDSU shut down Omaha’s hot offense while showing its own offensive pro-
duction. Six Bison players scored in double digits while holding Omaha to its second lowest point total of the season. “I thought we beat a team that had a lot of fight in them and that can really, really put the ball in the hoop in a hurry on you,” NDSU head coach Saul Phillips said. “Our transition (defense) was a big point of emphasis all week. You didn’t have to be real imaginative to come up with that game plan because of the way they play.” NDSU was led by Taylor Braun’s 20 points, but it was the production off the bench that catapulted the Bison to the 91-69 win. Mike Felt notched 13 points off 3-of-4 shooting from three point land. Jordan Aaberg added eight points with 4-of-5 shooting in the paint. Aaberg, battling several injuries during his career, has seen his offensive production increase this season. “I’ve been trying to get more aggres-
Track and Field Hosts Bison Classic, Win 18 Titles
Alec Espeland runs the mile with a finishing time of 4:16.24, setting a Shelly Ellig Track and Field Facility record.
Sam Herder Sports Editor
Eighteen event titles were won by the NDSU men’s and women’s track and field teams as they hosted the Bison Classic on Saturday. The women won 11 events as the men claimed seven. Junior thrower Emily Lesser, who threw a personal best of 61-09.50 in the weight throw to move to No. 2 on NDSU’s all-time list, highlighted the women’s performance. Seniors Antoinette Goodman and Caitlin Mack took first place finishes in their events. Goodman ran a 24.90 in the 200m dash for the win and also claimed first in the long jump with a mark of 17-11.75. Mack took first in the pole vault, clearing 12-05.50. Freshmen Rose Jackson won the 60m dash in 7.84 and Jenny Guibert won the 600m title with her time of 1:35.20. Junior Paige Stratioti beat out Ashley Tingelstad to win the 400m in 55.30. Sophomores Lexy Boschee finished first in the high jump, clearing 5-05.00 and Erin Te-
GARRET BECKER | THE SPECTRUM
schuk won the mile with a time of 5:01.34. Amanda Smock, an NDSU alum and 2012 Olympian, won the triple jump with a 44-06.75 jump. Senior Deborah John won the 60m hurdles in 8.60 seconds The team of Tingelstad, Stratioti, Goodman and Ashlynn Simon won the 4x400m relay with a time of 3:55.47. The men were led by sophomore Brandt Berghuis’ two throwing titles. Berghuis won the shot put with a throw of 55-02.00. His weight throw marked 59-04.00. Three seniors captured titles at the Bison Classic. Alec Espeland won the mile in 4:16.24, Moses Heppner’s 1:54.57 won the 800m and All-American Andy Lillejord won the pole vault with a mark of 16-06.75. Redshirt freshman Matt Jennings took first in the 600m with a time of 1:24.39. Freshman Matt Neururer won the high jump, leaping 6-02.75. Both track and field teams return to action Friday and Saturday for the Jack Johnson Classic hosted by the University of Minnesota.
sive, especially when Marshall (Bjorklund) gets in foul trouble,” Aaberg said. “I want to go out there and contribute on both ends. I knew I had to step up and do as much as I could.” NDSU had little time to rest as WIU brought a physical and grinding style of play to Fargo. A packed BSA of 4,284 fans watched a back-and-forth game that wasn’t decided until late in the second half. “You could just feel the energy in the building ready to explode if we can get a dunk and to their credit, we couldn’t do that,” Phillips said. The Bison held a 25-23 lead with four minutes remaining in the first half, but went three minutes without scoring as WIU went on a 7-0 run. A big three pointer from Lawrence Alexander and jumper from Braun knotted the score at 30 going into halftime. “You can go four or five possessions without scoring against these guys and that
can span over three, four minutes because of the long possessions they have,” Phillips said. “So to get some momentum going into the locker room was big.” The second half saw 10 lead changes in the first five minutes of play. But the Bison slowly began pulling away after long gaps of scoring droughts from both teams in the defensive battle. NDSU built a 54-48 lead with five minutes remaining and held on from there for the 65-52 victory. “Games against Western, they always feel a little different than any other team,” Braun said. “It was a fun game, a good atmosphere and how college basketball games should be played.” NDSU’s record improves to 14-5 with the two wins. The Bison take their 3-1 Summit League record into three straight conference road games. The first of which comes against rival South Dakota State at 4 p.m. Saturday.
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THE SPECTRUM | SPORTS | THURS, JAN. 23, 2014
Women’s Basketball, Wrestling Compete Over the Weekend Austin Sanchez
Contributing Writer
Women’s Basketball The NDSU women’s basketball team began a two game road trip on Thursday, losing to the Omaha Mavericks 66-48. Sophomore Holly Johnson led the Bison with 11 points and was followed by Marena Whittle and Kahla Becken, who each scored 10. Trailing by nine to begin the second half, the Bison
rallied to score 11 straight points in the second half to bring the Bison within three. The Mavericks (9-7, 1-1 Summit League) responded with a run of their own that effectively iced the contest. Neither team shot over 40 percent from the field, with the Bison shooting just 15 percent from deep. Omaha was led by Ericka House, who scored a game high 23 points in the victory. The Bison then traveled to Maycomb, Ill., on Saturday in hopes of ending a
10-game losing streak. The lady Bison didn’t leave disappointed as they picked up their first win of the New Year, defeating Western Illinois 83-77. Brooke LeMar led the Bison offensively with 21 points, including 3-of-7 shooting from deep and a perfect 10-of-10 at the line. Western Illinois (9-9, 1-2 Summit League) was led by a strong double-double from Ashley Luke, who had 27 points and 13 rebounds. Strong shooting from the Bison helped the team clinch
the six point victory. The ladies shot 6-of-11 from three point range in the second half, including 3-of-3 from junior forward Alisa Brown. Sophomore forward Marena Whittle was one rebound shy of a doubledouble and contributed 19 points for the Bison. Wrestling The Bison wrestling team began a road trip Friday and picked up two wins over ranked opponents in the process. First, the wrestlers trav-
eled to Boise, Idaho, and defeated the No. 21 ranked Boise State Broncos, 26-15. Boise State took two of the first four matches by decision, but was met with strong opposition from the Bison’s No. 3 ranked and 165-pounder Steven Monk. Monk, who is on a 12-match individual win streak, pinned his opponent in the first period. The Bison responded with a decision from Hayden Zillmer and a pin from Tyler Lehmann to put the dual out of reach for the Broncos.
NDSU finished its road trip with an impressive win over the No. 20 ranked Oregon State Beavers, 19-17. Once again, it took a win from Monk to jumpstart the Bison comeback after losing three straight bouts. Zillmer did his part in a sudden victory over Joe Latham in overtime and Kurtis Julson put the Bison up for good. Hunter Weber at 125 pounds opened the dual with the night’s only pin. NDSU faces Air Force on Friday at the BSA.
Bison Men’s Offense a Pleasant Surprise Sam Herder Sports Editor
N D S U head men’s basketball coach Saul Phillips says this year’s team isn’t the best shooting team he’s coached. But the stats say otherwise. In fact, according to the stat sheet, this is currently the best shooting team in the nation in terms of field goal percentage. NDSU is right where they are expected to be at this time in the season. The Bison have a nonconference record that’s produced more than 10 wins and are
now battling atop the Summit League standings fresh into the conference schedule. What has been a pleasant surprise, though, is the performance of the offense this season. Phillips’ team came into the season with a defensiveminded reputation. The 2012-13 Bison allowed 56.1 points per game while scoring 67.1. NDSU’s defense has been menacing again this year. Last Thursday’s opponent Omaha, which led the Summit League in scoring with 83.3 points per game, were held to 69 points. NDSU poured in 91 points that game. They are averaging 79.5 points a
game this year. While this isn’t Phillips’ most explosive offense in his coaching tenure in Fargo, the Bison have improved their shooting percentage from .468 last year to .514 this year. That number leads the nation. Leading the way is center Marshall Bjorklund with a .659 shooting percentage. His inside game and footwork like that of a 250-pound ballet dancer make for high percentage shots. But a big reason for the nation-leading field goal percentage is the efficient shot selection the Bison take. “I’ve had much better teams playing HORSE,” Phillips said after Thurs-
day’s game. “It doesn’t mean we’re the best shooting team we’ve ever had. It means this team has figured out how to get better shots.” That efficiency can be attributed to the balance of scoring. Thursday’s game saw six players with double digit scoring. “As a team, we’re really balanced and we don’t have to rely on anybody,” senior center Jordan Aaberg said. “Sometimes, if someone gets hot, we’ll go to them. But, I mean, it’s really nice that night in and night out you can count on everybody on the team to contribute.” Last year, leading scorer Taylor Braun missed a large chunk of the confer-
Oh Billy, Billy Boy Joe Kerlin Staff Writer
We’ve seen him start 57 games for our beloved Bison, we’ve seen him eat up opposing defensive ends and we’ve seen him #TurnUp. Now, America is seeing everything Fargo and the entire FCS has witnessed for almost a half-decade, watching Billy Turner dominate. It’s no surprise Turner was a man amongst boys at the FCS level and now he is getting his shot to show the world what he can do against the best NFL prospects in college football. The beauty of the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., is the week-long process of evaluation and the discovery of diamonds that are stuck behind the media publicity of the college football season, and bringing them out of the rough. Essentially, it’s an extended NFL Combine that lines up the best seniors
in the country against one another to see who the elite NFL prospects are. Russell Wilson, Mike Glennon, Von Miller and yes, even Richard Sherman were all nobodies before they stepped foot onto the turf at the Senior Bowl. Every year, players capture the hearts of general managers and scouts and this year will be the exact same. Luckily for us, right before our eyes, we are seeing one of our own become the apple of many general managers’ eyes. After one day of practice, former Bison offensive tackle Turner is turning heads of the most respected prospect evaluators. CBSSports.com writer Rob Rang writes: “As impressive as (Ju’Wuan) James was, arguably the most impressive offensive lineman of the day was North Dakota State’s Billy Turner, who possesses a very similar build at 6-foot-5, 316 pounds. Unlike James, Turner struggles a bit with leverage, bend-
ing at the waist rather than the knees but he has strong hands and is a good athlete who projects as a quality NFL starter with a little refinement. His upside could push Turner into the top 100 picks, if he isn’t there already.” CBSSports.com ranked Turner exactly 100 on the list of prospects on Monday, a day after Bleacher Report’s Dan Hope had Turner going 19th in the first round to the Miami Dolphins. The hype has shifted in Turner’s advantage and just as Sherman screamed at Erin Andrews that he was the best, Turner needs to keep reminding scouts that he deserves serious consideration for a first-round pick. “LOB!” Sifting through the draft needs of all 32 teams and it’s conceivable to see 15 teams draft an offensive lineman within the first two rounds. Right now, Turner is the 17th ranked offensive lineman, but you never know, linemen rankings tend to fluctuate the closer the draft gets.
Last year, Eric Fisher was ranked much higher than Turner before the Senior Bowl, but Fisher still skyrocketed to the second overall prospect in the draft and taken first. Now, I’m neglecting my homer-ism when I say it’s unlikely Turner shoots up past the likes of Texas A&M’s Jake Matthews or Auburn’s Greg Robinson into the top 10 of the draft. As far as Bison football players go, NDSU would be fine with a late-round draft pick. Since 1968, there have only been three Bison football players drafted as high as the second round. Steve Nelson was drafted 34th overall by the Patriots in 1974, Stacy Robinson 46th by the Giants in 1985 and hall of famer Phil Hansen was drafted 54th by the Bills in 1991. Turner may have a shot at history and sneak into the first round, but for now we will wait patiently just like Turner did for his time in the limelight.
The Spectrum
ence schedule. His absence resulted in a stagnant offense that struggled with consistency. This season, excluding a horrific offensive performance in Grand Forks, the Bison offense is proving to be tough to stop. And with the defense still defending well, despite being slow to the new hand check fouls, this Bison team is the most balanced Phillips has coached in years. Balance on both ends of the court is what NDSU needs to continue in order to reach No. 1 in the standings.
A No. 1 seed is extremely crucial come tournament time. With Omaha ineligible for the conference tournament, the top seed gets a first round bye. The Bison, picked to win the conference, have yet to show nerves on the big stage. An upset over Notre Dame proves that. And when the big stage of the conference tournament in Sioux Falls arrives, an efficient offense may be the final factor in sending this team dancing.